Tagging seal



Dec. 19, 1939. H. c. WENK, JR

TAGGING SEAL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 6, 1938 INVENTOR. Jfvzzyll. m J1 J BY Z 7 ATTORNR Dec. 19, 1939. H. 1.. c. WENKQJR 2,133,799

TAGGING SEAL Filed Dec. 6, 1938 2 Shets-Sheet 2 1 N /ENTOR. Jizzzyl. 05 M22 ,JE:,

BY ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 19, 1939 t 2,183,799

UNITED STATES ATENT OFFIQE TAGGING SEAL new L. o. Wenk, Jr., Jamaica, N. Y. Application December 6, 1938, Serial No. 244,165 Claims. (01. 292-315 This invention relates to a novel seal device view of the reverse face of the same; Fig. 4 is a for tagging meats, poultry and other food prodperspective view showing the first. step in the nets, or for tagging other kinds of merchandise, manipulation of the seal to close the same; Fig. 5 articles or materials. P is a. similar perspective view showing the seal This invention has for an object to provide a closed ready for the application of a seal press novel seal device comprising a fiexible body or thereto; Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the closed strap having at one end a relatively rigid sharp seal; Fig'. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of the portion adapted for piercing insertion through closed seal; Fig. dis a transverse sectional view material to which the seal is to be applied, and of the same, taken on line 8-8 in Fig. 7; and Fig. having at its other end portion means to receive 9 is a top plan view of the closed seal after super- 10' and hold said piercing portion, while at the same posed parts thereof have been sealed together time providing superposed sections of the.body or by a suitable deforming seal press or like tool.

strap subject to deformation by a suitable'seal Fig. 10 is a plan view of the obverse face of a press to thereby interlock the mutually engaged somewhat modified form of the novel seal device;

end portions against separation and consequent Fig. 11 is a top plan view of the same in closed 15 tampering or unauthorized removal of the seal. and sealed condition; and Fig. 12 is a transverse This invention has for another object to prosectional view thereof, taken on line i2l2' in vide a seal device of the kind mentioned wherein Fig. 11. the body or strap is provided at one end with an Fig. 13 is a plan view of the obverse face of go elongated piercing member or needle element another modified form of the novel seal structure formed integrally therewith, the same being of according to this invention; and Fig 14 is a side concave-convex cross sectional shape so as to elevational view of the same in closed condition. possess substantial rigidity, and wherein the body Fig. 15 is a face view of still another modified or-strap is further provided adjacent to the opform of the seal of this invention; and Fig. 16

25, posite end portion thereof with an opening coris a side elevation with the ends thereof operaresponding in shape to the cross-sectional shape tively interengaged preparatory to final sealing. 1 of said needle element, and through which the Similar characters of reference are employed free end part of the latter may be projected to in the above described views, to indicate correoverlie said opposite end portion; theextremity sponding parts.

of said opposite end portion having a sheathing Referring first to Figs. 1 to 9 inclusive, the 30 means to receive and enclose the sharp pointed illustrative form of the novel seal therein shown extremity of said needle element; means being, comprises a strap-like body 20 preferably c also provided to prevent retractive displacement sisting of a comparatively narrow elongated strip of the thus engaged needle element pending seaiof flexible or bendable sheet metal, such e. g. as

3 ing deformation of superposed parts of the latter tin. One end portion of said body 2d is formed and said opposite end portion. to provide a needle element 2| of concavo-convex Another object of the invention is to provide, in shape in cross-section, the same terminating in connection with the needle element point sheatha laterally tapered end portion 22 to provide a ing part of said body or strap, guard means for sharp piercing point 23'. Said needle element 2! protecting the fingers from contact with the preferably approximates in length about one- 4o needle element point when entering said point third of .the total length of body 2t, and is so into the receiving sheath upon manipulation of formed that its convex side faces outwardly from the seal device during application thereof to dethe obverse face of the body 20. Owing to the sired material. approximately semi-circular concavo-convex Other objects of this invention, not at this time cross-sectional shape of said needle element 2!, 45, more p cularly enumerated, will be understood the same is relatively rigid in character and is from the following detailed description of the thus free from tendency to bending. same. At a point spaced inwardly a suitable distance Illustrative embodiments of this invention are from the opposite end of said body 28, the same shown in the accompanying drawings, in which: is pierced to provide a transverse needle element 50. Fig. 1 shows one form of seal device according receiving opening 2 3, the configuration of which to this invention as operatively applied and sealed corresponds to the concave-convex cross-sectionto material to be tagged thereby. al shape of said needle element 2 i. Stamped up- Fig. 2 is .a plan view of the obverse face of said wardly out of the body 20, closely adjacent to said H seal device. in initial condition; Fig. 3 is a plan opposite. end thereof, is a raised hollow boss 25, 55.

pending having convergingly tapered sides corresponding substantially to the tapered shape of the point of said needle element, and an inwardly facing transverse open end 26. Said boss provides a needle element point receiving sheath raised above the plane of the obverse face of said body Said sheath is open at its under side, and although there is little likelihood of the needle element point engaging the fingers when, in manipulating the seal, the operator enters said point into said sheath, yet to further assure against such occurrence, guard means are provided adapted to fend or space the operators fingers away from the open under side of said sheath when holding the body and manipulating the seal to close the same. Said guard means comprise downwardly projected fender lips 21 struck from the side marginal portions of the body 29 respectively adjacent to the opposite sides of said sheath, the edges of the same being disposed to lie in a plane offset from the plane of the reverse face of said body and consequently also from the plane of the open underside of said sheath.

Illustrative of the use to which the novel tagging seal may be put is its use to mark or identify kosher meat products. As shown in Fig. 1 for example, a meat product M of the bologna type has applied thereto the identifying tagging seal according to this invention. To apply the seal, the needle element 2| is passed through a portion of the meat product so as to engage a portion of the body 20 therethrough with needle element 2i freely extending at one point and the sheath bearing portion of the body 25 freely extending at another point, whereupon the body 25 is bent to oppose its opening 24 to the free end portion of the needle element, which is thereupon passed therethrough, in the manner shown more particularly in Fig. 4. The portion 28 of the body 20 is then bent upwardly so that the through extending portion of the needle element is superposed thereon, whereupon these parts are relatively moved longitudinally to cause the tapered end portion 22 and point 23- of the needle element to enter the sheath 25 through the open end 25 thereof so as to be enclosed therein. In order to prevent retractive displacement of the needle element when thus engaged and sheathed, the final sealing by an applied seal press, said needle element is provided with a stop projection or tit 29 struck upwardly from the com cave face thereof and spaced inwardly from the point 23 at a distance substantially equal to the distance between the outer end of the sheath 25 and the center of the opening 24. As the tapered end portion 22 and point 23 is pushed home into the sheath 25, said stop projection or tit 29 will pass through the opening 24, the interiorly bounding wing or tongue 30 of which will yield to its passage and then lodge behind the same, as shown in Figs. 5, '1, 8 and 9*, thus obstructing any retractive relative longitudinal movement of the body section 28 and needle element 2|.

When the seal is closed in the manner above described, it is ready to have superposed parts thereof deformed by a seal press or like tool, to so laterally spread the engaged portion of the needle element 2| so as to prevent any surreptitious release or unauthorized disturbance thereof without manifesting that the seal has been tampered with. To this end, the jaws of a seal press or like tool are engaged over the superposed needle element and body portions 211 and 28, so that by the squeezing effects of the actuated seal press jaws the concavo-convex contour of said needle element is flattened out and the metal spread laterally, as shown at 3| in Fig. 9, to thus render impossible the pulling back of the needle element through the opening 24 without destroying the seal or clearly indicating that it has been tampered with. If desired, the metal of the spread needle element and the underlying body portion 28 may be at the same time crimped together or embossed with a suitable design, character, notation or the like, all in a manner well known in the art.

In Figs. 10 to 12 inclusive, there is shown a slightly modified form of the novel seal, the same comprising a similar strap-like body 40 having at one end a similar needle element 4! of concavoconvex cross-sectional shape terminating in a sharp pointed end portion 42, and having at its opposite end an inwardly open sheath means 43 to receive and enclose said pointed end portion of the needle element. The needle element is so formed that its concave side faces outwardly from the obverse face of the body 40. Struck out of the body 40, to project from the obverse face thereof, in suitably spaced relation to the sheath means 53, is a transversely disposed loop member 44, through the opening of which the needle element 41 may be passed when closing the seal. Struck outwardly from the convex face of said needle element M, in properly rearwardly spaced relation to the point thereof, is a stop projection or tit 45, which springs beneath and passes the loop member 45, when the seal is closed, so as to engage the edge of said loop member to hold the seal parts against displacement from seal closing relation until sealing by a seal press or like tool is accomplished.

In Figs. 13 and 14 there is shown another form of the novel tagging seal which embodies the essential principles of this invention. This form of the seal comprises a body of sheet metal comprising a bendable longitudinal strap member 55 and a needle element 5| in longitudinally extend ing parallel and laterally offset relation thereto; butt end of said needle element 5| and an adjacent end of said strap member 50 being integrally connected by a transverse end portion 52 common thereto. The needle element 5! is of concave-convex cross sectional shape and terminates in a sharp pointed end portion 53. Integrally formed in connection with the opposite end of said strap member 50 is an end section 54 laterally offset so that a portion thereof is aligned with but normally initially longitudinally outwardly spaced from the pointed end portion 53 of said needle element 5|. Formed in said section- 54 is a transverse arcuate needle element receiving opening 55, and also formed in said section 54 in outwardly spaced and aligned relation to said opening 55 is an inwardly open sheath means 56. In closing this form of seal, by bending the strap member 50 into arched relation to the needle 5i, the pointed end portion of the latter may be opposed and thrust through the opening 55, so that its forward end portion overlies section 54 and its pointed end portion is received in the sheath means 56. Said needle element5l is provided with a properly located stop projection or tit 51 which, upon passing through opening 55, prevents retractive displacement of the thus engaged parts, similarly as set forth in connection with the previously described seal structures. The sealing of the device by a seal press applied intermediate the opening 55 and sheath 2,183,799 means 56 is also accomplished in a manner as similarly above described.

In Figs. 15 and 16, there is shown a very simple form of seal comprehended within the principies of the instant invention, the same comprising a strap-like body iii! of bendable sheet metal. At one end portion of said body 60 is formed a relatively short sharp ended needle element 6! of concavo-convex cross sectional shape, and integrally connected to said body 68 by a neck portion 62 of reduced width. Formed in said body St, in rearwardly spaced relation to its opposits extremity, is an arcuate opening $3 to conform to the cross-sectional shape of the needle element and through which said needle element i i may be passed to extend over an end section 6% provided between said body extremity and said opening (it (see Fig. 16). When this seal is thus closed, the needle element 6! and the end section to are pinched together to dispose the same in superposed relation, whereupon the device may be sealed by applying a seal press or like tool to the thus superposed parts, thereby suitably deforming the same against separation, in substantially the same manner as set forth with respect to the previously described seal forms.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. A seal device of the kind described comprising, bendable portion, a relatively rigid needle element connected therewith, a needle receiving section also connected with said bendable portion and adapted to be opposed to said needle element by flexing said bendable ortion, said receiving section including an opening through which the needle element may be projected and a raised inwardly open sheath means spaced outwardly beyond and in line with said opening and confcrmably shaped to receive the point of said needle element, whereby the end portion of said needle element, when engaged through said opening and its point entered in said sheath means, is disposed in superposed relation to said receiving section subject to interlocking deformation by a suitable sealing tool.

2. A seal device of the kind described comprising, a bendable portion, a relatively rigid needle e ement connected therewith, a needle receiving section also connected with said bendable portion and adapted to be opposed to said needle element by flexing said bendable portion, said receiving section including an opening through which the needle element may be projected and a raised inwardly open sheath means spaced outwardly beyond and in line with said opening and to the cross-sectional shape of merit and a chambered sheath means raised from the plane of said receiving section and shaped conformably shaped to receive the point of said needle element, whereby the end portion of said needle element, when engaged through said opening and its point entered in said sheath means, is disposed in superposed relation to said receiving section subject to interlocking deformation by a suitable sealing tool, said needle element having formed thereon a stop'projection located rearwardly of its free extremity and intermediate its sides adapted to pass forwardly through said opening and thereafter engage a bounding portion of said opening to retain said needle element against retractive movement therethrough.

3. A seal device as defined in claim 1, including down-turned finger fending means projecting from said receiving section beyond the plane of the open bottom side of said sheath means formation. I

4. A seal device of the kind described comprising, a bendable body, a relatively rigid needle element of concave-convex cross-sectional shape at one end of said body, a needle-receiving section at the other end of said body adapted to be opposed to said needle element by flexing said body, said receiving section including, in spaced relation, an opening of peripheral shape conforming said needle eleconformably to the point shape of said needle element, and a stop projection for the purposes described, formed on the body of said needle element intermediate its sides and in rearwardly spaced relation to its point.

5. A seal device of the kind described comprising, a bendable body, a relatively rigid needle element of concavo-convex cross-sectional shape at one end of said body, a needle receiving section at the other end of said body adapted to be opposed to said needle element by flexing said body, said receiving section including, in spaced relation,

opening of peripheral shape conforming to the cross-sectional shape of said needle element and a chambered sheath means raised from the plane of said receiving section and shaped conformably to the point shape of said needle element, a stop projection for the purposes described carried by said needle element in tion to its point, and down-turned finger fending means projecting from said receiving section beyond the plane of the open bottom side of said sheath means. HENRY L. C. WENK, JR.

rearwardly spaced rela- 

